What Trey McBride's Extension Means for 49ers TE George Kittle

This isn't the best news for the 49ers, but it's excellent for George Kittle.

Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) looks on in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

This isn't the best news for the 49ers, but it's excellent for George Kittle.

On Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals gave Trey McBride a four-year, $76 million contract extension with $43 million guaranteed. He now is the NFL's highest-paid tight end. McBride is 25, and he went to his first Pro Bowl last season after catching 111 passes for 1,146 yards and 2 touchdowns. Good player.

But not as good as Kittle.

So if McBride is getting paid $19 million per season, Kittle is worth at least $20 million per season even though he's 31. Because there has been no indication that Kittle is slowing down. He's coming off arguably the best season of his career and he played through a broken rib for most of it.

To be clear, I fully expect the 49ers to pay Kittle what it takes to extend his contract. Partly because he's a future Hall of Fame player, but also partly because the 49ers don't want to be seen as cheap this offseason.

They've reduced their spending drastically and taken on major dead cap penalties to get rid of expensive veterans, but owner Jed York says the team intends to spend big on Kittle and Brock Purdy, so they need to follow through.

And if the 49ers are serious about contending in 2025, they need Kittle on the field for the beginning of OTAs which start in a few weeks. They can't afford him to hold out. So they need to hurry and finalize his extension the way the Cardinals just finalized McBride's.

The Cardinals are serious about 2025. Are the 49ers?